Automobile block



C. E. SCHAUDIES.

AUTOMOBILE BLOCK.

APPLICATlON man MAR. 31, 1921.

Patented Jan. 17, 1922-.

UNITED STATES Pf TENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. SCHAUDIES, 0F WACO, TEXAS.

AUTOMOBILE BLOCK.

Application filed March 31, 1921.

T 0 all whom-it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. SCHAUDIES, a citizen of the United States, residing at IVaco, in the county of lWIcLennan and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in automobile blocks such as are employed for pulling automobiles from muddy or other places where the power of the car cannot be utilized.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is small and compact to thus be capable of being conveniently carried in the automobile, and at the same time of such power as to enable its operation by a single person.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this type that can be conveniently held with one hand in a manner to prevent twisting of the device while the crank is being turned with the other hand.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for preventing the aforementioned twisting of the device which means also serves to lock the chain against backward movement and thereby functions in a dual manner.

The invention still further aims to provide a device for the purpose set forth, which is simple, easily operated, efficient and capable of economical production.

In the drawings Figure 1, is a side elevation of the invention, partly broken away and in section;

Figure 2, is a section on line 22' of Figure 1, and

Figure 3, is a section on line 33 of Figure 2.

In proceeding in accordance with the present invention, a casing 1, is employed having a cover 2, the casing being of cylindrical form. A shaft 3 is journaled in the cover and rear side of the casing and has each end thereof squared at 4 and extending beyond the cover and rear side of the casing, respectively so as to allow of the application of a crank 5 to either end 4 thereby to allow of the shaft being operated from either side of the casing, as desired or found necessary.

A pinion 6 is keyed to shaft 3 and lies adjacent the cover and is in mesh with a pinion 7 mounted on a stub shaft 8. The pinion 7 in turn is in mesh with a ring-like gear 9 which latter engages and is fixedly held in a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

Serial No. 457,369.

cut-out or inset seat 10 provided therefor in the inner circumferential face of the rim 11 of the casing. The gear 9 is removably held in place by the cover 2.

A grooved sprocket wheel 12 is mounted on the shaft 3 and has a circular flange 13 on its inner end to which thestub-shaft 8 carrying the gear 7 is rigidly a1 Xed. The casing is formed with a peripheral boss 14 surrounding an opening 15 through which latter the chain 16 passes, the chain being trained over the sprocket 12 to lie in part within the groove thereof and passes through an opening 17 at approximately right angles to the plane of the opening 15. The lower wall defining the opening 17 is preferably formed with a keeper lug 18 to engage and lock the chain upon the lock member 19 being moved to cause the nose 20 thereofto engage the chain, the latter being thus held between the keeper and-the nose. The lock member is of arcuate form and is pivoted at 21 in an apertured extension having a wall 22 formed on the casing periphery so as to be foldable to lie against the casing. Thecasing is further formed with a peripheral lug to which an anchoring chain or cable 2 1 is attached and on the inner face of its back is formed with a curved guard 25 extending over the sprocket wheel 12 and Which acts to prevent the chain from becoming disengaged from the sprocket wheel. The flange 13 also serves to prevent the chain from becoming disengaged from the sprocket wheel 12. 5

In operation, the cable 24 is attached to a suitable anchorage and the end 16 of the chain attached to the automobile, the handle 19 being in the up position of Figure 1 and abutting the wall 22 so as to be held by the latter, in which position theoperator grips the handle to thereby hold the casing against twisting. The operator with the other hand then turns the crank 5, efiecting rotation of pinions 6 and 7 and causing the pinion 7 to move around the ring gear 9 thereby effecting movement through pin 8 of the sprocket wheel 12 and the chain, the chain paying out of the aperture 15.

If for any reason it is desired to lock the chain, as for example where the vehicle is on a down grade or incline, the handle 19 is moved to the dotted line position of Figure 1, wherein the chain is impinged by nose 20 against the keeper lug 18, and since the nose engages the chain at a point vertically alined with the pivot 21, the pull of the chain will automatically hold the handle or lever 19 in locked position. This disposition of the handle or lever 19 further enables compact storage of the device in storing same in the automobile.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the type set forth, a cylindrical casing, a shaft journaled therein and having each of its ends squared and extend ing beyond the casing sides to interchangeably receive a crank, a pinion on the shaft, a sprocket wheel on the shaft having a circular flange adjacent the inner end of the pinion, a pinion meshed with the first named pinion and carried by the flange,said casing having an interior circular seat in its rim, a ring-like gear in the seat in mesh with the second named pinion, said casing, having 0 enings at approximately right angles, a c ain extending through said openings and engaged with the sprocket and disposed between said flange and the rear side of the casing, a curved chain guard borne by the rear side of the casing and extending around the sprocket, means to lock the chain against rearward movement, and means to attach an anchoring cable to the casing.

2.. In a device of the type set forth, a casing a shaft therein, means to rotate the shaft,

a fixed ring-gear in thecasing, a pinion on the shaft, a sprocket on the shaft, a pinion lneshedwith the first named pinion and with the ring gear, means to connect the second pinion to the sprocket to effect rotation of the sprocket, a chain engaged with the sprocket, and anchoring means for the casing.

,3. In a device of the type set forth, a casing having chain openings, anchoring means for the casing, a chain extending through the openings, means in the casing to propel the chain, said casing having a keeper lug to engage a side of the chain, and a pivoted lock having a handle carried by the casing to engage the opposite side of the chain to hold the chain against the keeper lug in one position and in a second position to extend outwardly from the casingand be held by the hand of the operator to hold the casing against twisting.

4. In a device of the type set forth, a casing having chain openings, anchoring means for the casing, a chain extending through the openings, means in the casing to propel the chain, and combined means which in one position holds t-hechain locked and against movement and in a second position acts as hand gripping means to steady the casing against twisting and means to positively hold said combined means in said second position.

5. In a device of the type setforth, a casing having chain openings, anchoring means for the casing, a chain extending through the openings, means in the casing to propel the chain, and combined means which in one position holds the chain locked and against movement and in a second position acts as hand gripping means to steady the casing against twisting, including a hand leverof curved form which in chain locking position conformably extends over the casing.

6. In a device of the type set forth, :1 cas ing, anchoring means therefor, a chain extending through the casing, chain propelling means in the casing, alocking handle for the chain foldable against the casingin one position to automatically hold the chain locked and in a second position extending outwardly from the casing to serve as a hand grip to steady the casing, and means to engage the handle to'hold same in said second position.

7. In a device of the type set forth, a casing, a shaft therein, means to rotate the shaft a fixed ring-gear in the casing, a pinion on the shaft, a sprocket on the shaft, hav

ing a circular flange, a pinion carried by the flange and extending outwardly from one side thereof, and meshed with the ring-gear and with the first named pinion, and a chain on the sprocket arranged between the opposite side of the flange and a side of the casing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES E. SCHAUDIES. 

